Climate change: Fracking domestically has a big environmental impact

Steaming water, discharged from a coal-to-gas plant in Inner Mongolia, spreads out over the landscape. (Courtesy of Zhu Ye / Special to The Seattle Times)

I am writing in response to the article in The Times “China’s coal plants guzzle scarce water” [News, May 4]. The article states, “When operating at full capacity, the Datang International plant will require more than 7 billion gallons of water each year.” Any outrage expressed by our country toward China for this water waste is drastically misplaced.

Our country’s own fracking industry dwarfs China in water usage. Fracking, as many know, is natural gas drilling in shale. In Pennsylvania alone, fracking reportedly uses over 7 billion gallons of water yearly.

Any negative conclusions drawn from this article should be equally extended to our own country’s practices.

I believe we must stop kowtowing to the energy industry’s insistence that energy produced from fossil fuels is our only choice. Serious pursuit of alternative energy sources worldwide is imperative to avoid continued destruction to the earth’s air, water and environment.

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